Bracket arrangement



Nov. 28, 1967 G. F. BARCHFELD BRACKET ARRANGEMENT Filed July 12, 1965 INVENTOR GEORGE F BARCHFELD BY HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,355,133 BRACKET ARRANGEMENT George F. Barchfeld, 47 Ridge Road, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 97458 Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,046 5 Claims. (Ci. 248--236) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a bracket for the support of a window box which comprises an upright portion and horizontal portion, means disposed on the upper end of the upright portion for connecting the same to a window sill. A mounting base is provided having a horizontal portion connectable to the horizontal portion of the support and an abutment surface which communicates with the building exterior. The abutment surface may be connected to the building exterior or merely rest against the same thereby absorbing a major portion of the force transmitted by the window box when positioned in the bracket.

This invention relates to a device for supporting window boxes or like objects and more particularly it relates to an improved bracket arrangement provided with novel means of attachment to a window sill or the like of a building.

Window boxes are generally made of wood and mounted on the exterior of a building beneath a window to permit easy access thereto. When the window box is filled with soil, for the growth of the plants therein, they are usually quite heavy or bulky and not easily transportable. In many areas of the country, the changing of the seasons does not permit plant growth to continue yearly but is dependent upon the various seasons. Thus, it is often desirable to remove the window box during off seasons, or for replanting during the year;

In view of the above, an ideal support for a window box would be one permitting the user to easily remove and quickly replace the window box when desired. In addition, not to spoil the exterior facade of the home, the device for supporting the window box should also be easily detachable or removable without leaving any substantial protrusions on the building exterior.

Being cognizant of the disadvantages of existing arrangements I have invented a bracketing arrangement or bracket device in which the shortcomings of existing devices are avoided.

Heretofore, the mounting arrangement of numerous prior art devices incorporated the window boxes as an integral part of the device for supporting said boxes in their desired position. This arrangement is undesirable in that the box cannot be removed for refurbishing without necessitating the simultaneous disassembly or removal of the bracketing device associated therewith.

Other prior art devices, which have employed various means for retaining a window box in position beneath a window, have been restricted in that they were not easily disengageable from the building structure.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of a bracketing device that may be removably fastened to a window sill and on which the window box is supported without any latching arrangement between said window box and bracketing device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for holding or supporting a window box or like article. Yet another object is to provide a bracket 3,355,133 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 arrangement for the support of window boxes which is not expensive to manufacture, may be easily and quickly installed, and which is very effective.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bracket arrangement wherein at least one of the parts is capable of being mounted upon a narrow window sill.

Still a further object of the invention is that the bracketing arrangement can be used in combination with various types and sizes of standard window sills on either brick or frame houses.

Other objects of this invention reside in the provision of a bracketing device which is extremely simple in construction, durable and strong throughout long periods of continued use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple and eflicient in its operation and highly eificient in sustaining the above noted objects and purposes.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing a bracket device which essentially consists of a support member which is designed to be detachably mounted to the window sill or ledge of a building and a support base which may be adjustably secured thereto. The brackets of the various embodiments herein disclosed are adapted for use on windows having a relatively narrow or thin window sill or ledge in that the support base is provided with an abutment face of substantial area to absorb a portion of the force transmitted to said bracket by the weight of the window box thereon.

A bracket of this design permits the window box to be just lifted off of its support and removed to be refurbished or the plants restored. I have taken advantage of the actual weight of the filled window box in the novel mounting arrangement to be hereinafter disclosed. A filled window box is generally of sufficient weight that when properly positioned on the support brackets it will remain in its place and not be easily removed.

Being cognizant of the wishes of window box users to easily remove them for storage or other purposes, the bracket device of the present invention is provided with means for removably fastening same to the window sill and wherein said bracket is simultaneously capable of supporting a window box for indefinite periods of time without recourse for securing the window box physically to the bracket. Thus, not only are the window boxes quickly removable from the brackets, but said brackets are quickly detachable from the building thereby eliminating any unsightly protrusions from the building whenever the window boxes are removed.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, one or more positioning pins are provided on each bracket, said pins protruding from the abutment face making it possible, on certain buildings, to obtain a coupling between the building exterior and the bracket to thereby increase the load carrying capacity of the bracketing device. Window sills or ledges are not always exceptionally massive to receive fasteners, such as screws or nails, of any exceptional size and in some instances this materially alters the load carrying capacity of each bracket. But, by incorporating positioning pins which are caused to penetrate the wall of the building, even a minimal amount, an increase in the load carrying capacity of the bracket is obtained. These locating pins further serve the purpose of maintaining the bracket in proper alignment with the building to prevent its movement in any direction when the window box is removed and subsequently replaced thereon, thereby eliminating the general tendency of the bracket to pivot about the fasteners securing it to the window sill.

The support base is preferably constructed from wood which may generally be of the same type or finish as the window box itself to thereby enhance the entire appearance of the exterior facade since there is a blending of the two without any noticeable distractions from the mounting or supporting arrangement. In essence I have combined simplicity of design in the construction of a mounting arrangement which affords to the user ease of installation as well as strength and durability in the device. Additionally, in the bracketing arrangement of the present invention only a minimal portion of the device is visible to the eye when the window box is positioned thereon, which is a result of the unique interrelation of elements of the persent invention.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a building wall having the bracketing device of the present invention detachably secured thereto and supporting a window box thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a bracketing device generally similar to that of FIGURE 2 but comprising another embodiment of the invention having secondary fastening means to secure the bracket to the building;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the bracketing device of FF- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a bracketing device similar to that of FIGURE 2 but comprising still another embodiment of the invention, the device employing a catch secured to the window sill;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the bracketing device of FIG- URE 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 a bracketing device 10 embodying the present invention is adapted to be releasably fastened or joined to the exterior of a building 12 and preferably to its window ledge or sill 13 for support thereon of a window box 16.

The bracketing device or bracket 10 of the present invention is comprised of two major cooperating parts, namely a support member 18, which may be made of metal or some other material, including a substantially upright portion and a horizontal portion 22, and a mounting base 24 which is secured by screws 32 or some other fasteners to the underside of the horizontal portion 22 of said support.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2 the upright portion 20 has a rearwardly facing abutment face 21 adapted to engage the forward edge 14 of the window sill 13 when the bracket 10 is removably fastened to said sill. To provide this detachability between the sill 13 and bracket 10 the latter is provided with one or more perforations or apertures 26 in said upright portion 20 contoured to permit the bracket to be readily disengaged from said sill 13, said perforation having an enlarged opening 27 (FIGURE 1) merging into a smaller section 28 and adapted to receive one or more fasteners 30 entering into the forward edge 14 of said window sill 13 to support said bracket.

For most installations at least two brackets 10 are detachably secured in spaced parallel relationship to the window still 13 as best illustrated with respect to FIG- URE 2 and wherein the base 17 of the window box 16 sits flush on the horizontal portion 22 of the support member 18. The horizontal portion 22 of said support member 18 is secured to the mounting base 24 as by fasteners 32 which may be in the form of countersunk wood screws adapted to be received in clearance holes provided in said horizontal portion.

The mounting base 24 may preferably be made from the same material, for example wood, as the window box 16 and have a specific contour (FIGURE 2) to blend with the style of said window box for esthetic reasons, while simultaneously almost completely obscuring the brackets themselves and thereby giving the illusion that the support for the window box 16 is completely void of any metal brackets. As shown in FIGURE 1, the only portion of the support member 18 visible is the forward edge 23 and if said edge is finished, as by painting or some other method to the same texture as the window box 16 then we have a complete blending of the bracketing device 10 with said window box.

The support member 24 in the embodiment disclosed in FIGURES 1 and 2 essentially has a dual purpose by providing esthetic beauty and supplying constructional integrity to the bracketing device 10 by acting to absorb a portion of the downward thrust on the horizontally disposed fastener 30 when the window box 16 is positioned on said bracket. This is accomplished by providing the support base 24 with an abutment face 25 (FIGURE 2) of substantial area to absorb and transfer the resultant inward thrust transmitted to the support member 18 by the window box 16 to the building structure 12 as well as preventing sag and increasing the load carrying capacity of the bracket 10.

By this new and novel arrangement I have found it possible to employ a support member 18 which may be relatively thin in the plan as seen in FIGURE 2 since said support member 18 is mainly subjected to a shear force along the generally vertically disposed portion 20 thereby permitting me to use a thinner gauge material to construct said support member. By securing the horizontal portion 22 to the support base 24 in the manner described, the tendency for said horizontal section to buckle or deflect under the weight of the window box is substantially reduced since a portion of the weight of said box is nowtransmitted through the support member 24 to its abutment face 25 and in turn to the building structure 12.

Although the building exterior is shown (FIGURE 1) to be substantially flat, which might be the case say for a brick veneer building, this might vary for a wood or asbestos shingle exterior of a home and it is contemplated within this invention that the abutment face 25 may be contoured accordingly.

Since the distance from the building 12 to the forward edge 14 of the window sill 13 will have a variable dimension X (FIGURE 2) from building to building I have found it best to provide a form of adjustment so that each user may vary this distance to suit his own needs. This is generally accomplished in the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, in a bracketing device 10a which is generally similar to the device 10 and has parts identified by the same reference numerals employed in connection with the corresponding parts of apparatus 10, but with the letter a appended thereto.

The bracket 10a is essentially of a two piece construction and consists of a support member 38 which includes an upright portion 40 having a forward upper lip 41 to conform to the contour of the window sill 13a with means for removably fastening said upright portion thereto and a horizontal portion 44 integral with said upright portion which is adjustably secured to a mounting base 240. The upright portion 40 may be vertically disposed with respect to the horizontal portion 40 or angled to substantially conform to the taper of the side of the window box. An indentation 42 (FIGURE 3) is provided at the junction of the upright portion 40 and horizontal portion 44 to strengthen the support member 38.

To removably fasten the bracket 10a to the window sill 13a and yet permit for a quick disconnect the upright portion 40 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly contoured lip 41 formed integral with said upright portion and contoured to substantially conform to the contour of the window sill and adapted to lie thereon while said upright portion is provided with one or more perforations or apertures 26a, as previously discussed with respect to FIGURES l and 2, which are dapted to receive one or more fasteners 30a entering into said window sill.

In view of the varying distances X, between the edge 14a of the window sill 13a and the building 12a I have provided means for adjustably mounting the support base 24a to the horizontal section 44 of the support member 38 by providing a slot 45 in said horizontal section and vertically disposed screws 48 secured to said support base 24a and having a portion thereof protruding therefrom and in spaced alignment through the slot 45 wherein wing nuts 49 or some other fastener is secured thereto to firmly secure the two sections of the bracket a together. The slot 45 is of sufiicient length to permit a variable adjustment of the mounting base 24a in the horizontal plane. In the window box which is shown in phantom to more clearly describe the apparatus it can be seen in FIG- URES 3 and 4 that the window box can rest upon either the fasteners 48 or 49.

As explained in reference to FIGURES l and 2 the mounting base 24a is provided with an abutting face 25a which is adjusted in the position shown in FIGURE 3 to contact the exterior of building 12a to absorb a portion of the force transmitted by the window box when positioned on the bracket 10a.

To further reduce the shear load on the upright portion 40 additional fastening means may be utilized to simultaneously increase the load carrying capacity of the bracket 10a and minimize angular displacement or a pivoting of the support member 38 about the fasteners 30a when the window box is positioned thereon or in the process of being placed or removed therefrom. The additional fastening means which may consist of one or more positioning members in the form of pins 50 which are inserted into the abutment face 25a of the mounting base 24a and a portion thereof are caused to extend from said face 25a a predetermined amount. The pins 51 are caused to penetrate the building as by first drilling locating holes or in the alternative when the window box is placed upon the bracket the weight thereof will effect the desired .penetration. Whichever way is selected it can be appreciated that these pins substantially increase the load carrying capacity of a given bracket.

In each previously described bracketing device 10 or 10a, the upright portion 18 or 38 is releasably fastened to the window sill 13 or 13a without the employment of any intermediate means. However, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, a bracketing device 10b which is generally similar to the previously described device It), and which has several parts identified by the same reference numbers as have been used in describing the corresponding parts of the device 10, is provided with a catch 60 which may be mounted on the upper surface of the window sill 13b and which is adapted to engage a support member 52 therefrom while the latter is adjustably secured to a mounting base 24b.

To provide an easy means for removal of a major portion of the bracket device 10b from the sill the catch 60 which is secured to the sill as by a fastener 30b, for example a nail, is provided with a base portion 61 and an up right portion 62 integral therewith and extending upwardly and rearwardly curving into a semi-cylindrical portion to form an opening with an abutment surface 63 for engaging the mating portion of the support member 52.

The support member 52 consists of an upright portion 54 with a latching element such as a hook 55 integral with said upright portion and adapted to extend about the stop of the catch 60 from the outward side thereof for positive engagement with said catch. When the hook is in engagement with said catch it will usually be in engagement with the abutment surface 63 of said catch 60 and the two 6 may be easily disengaged by movement of the hook 55 in a plane parallel to the forward edge or the sill 13a.

A mounting base 24b is secured to the horizontal portion 57 of the support member 52 and may be adjustably secured thereto in the similar manner as described in FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein a slot or groove 58 is provided to accommodate one or more fasteners 56, for example screws mounted to and extending from the mounting base 24b a sufficient amount to permit the engagement of nuts 59, which when tightened form a secure joining of said base and support member.

The support base 24b having an abutment face 25b is adjusted in the position shown in FIGURE 5 to engage the exterior of building 12b and to thereby absorb a portion of the force transmitted by weight of the window box when it is positioned thereon.

The catch 60 may also be releasably secured to the window sill 13b by providing a perforation of the same configuration as illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4. Additionally, it should be pointed out that the nail or other fastener which may be driven into the widow sill to support the bracket should have a slight spacing remaining between the bottom of its head and the support member to facilitate easy removal of the latter from said fastener.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing a support member, that may be readily mounted on and disengaged from window sills of various sizes and configurations, which may be adjustably secured to a mounting base that is provided with an abutment face of substantial area to simultaneously strengthen the sup- .port member and transmit a portion of the force created by the weight of the window box against the building. Alternatively, the mounting base may be provided with additional fastening means which may consist of pins protruding from said abutment face to engage the building exterior to maintain the bracket in proper alignment with the building and increase the load carrying capacity of the bracket assembly.

While in accordance with the patent statutes preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly un derstood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim:

1. A bracket adapted to be removably fastened to a window sill for support of a window box comprising (a) a support member being provided with a substantially upright portion and a horizontal portion,

(b) means for removably fastening the upright portion of the support member to the window sill,

(-c) a mounting base having an abutment face, at least one locating pin protruding from said abutment face and adapted to provide engagement with the building exterior, and

(d) means for securing said base to the horizontal portion of said support wherein said abutment face is adapted to engage the building exterior to absorb a major portion of the force transmitted by the window box when positioned on said bracket.

2. A bracket adapted to be removably fastened to a window sill comprising (a) a support member being provided with an upright portion and a horizontal portion, said upright portion having a forward upper lip to conform to the contour of the window sill,

(b) means removably fastening the lip of said upright portion to the window sill,

(c) a mounting base having an abutting face of substantial area secured to the horizontal portion of said bracket wherein said face is caused to contact the building exterior to absorb a portion of the forces transmitted by the window box when positioned on said bracket, and

(d) at least one positioning pin secured to said base and protruding from said abutting face to engage the building exterior to support the bracket.

3. A bracket adapted to be removably fastened to a window sill comprising (a) a support member being provided with an upright portion and a horizontal portion, said upright portion including an upwardly and rearwardly contoured lip formed integral with the upright portion and contoured to substantially conform to the contour of the window sill and adapted to lie thereon,

(b) means for removably fastening the support member to the window sill having one or more perforations in said upright portion adapted to receive a fastener entering into said Window sill to support said upright disposed portion, said perforation being contoured to permit the bracket to be readily disengaged from said sill, and

(c) a mounting base adjustably secured to the horizontal portion of said bracket and having an abutment face adapted to engage the building exterior, said base constructed and arranged when fastened to the horizontal portion of said bracket to absorb a portion of the force transmitted by the window box when positioned on said bracket.

4. A bracketing device adapted to be attached to a window sill for support of a window box comprising (a) a catch having a base adapted to be affixed to the window sill and an upright portion extending upwardly from said base and having engaging means on the top thereof,

(b) a support bracket being provided with an upright portion and a horizontal portion with a latching hook integral with said upright portion and adapted to extend about the top of the catch from the outward side thereof for engagement with said engaging means, and

(c) a mounting base adjustably secured to the horizontal portion of said bracket and having an abutment face adapted to engage the building exterior,

said abutment surface being of substantial area to absorb a portion of the force transmitted by the window box positioned on said bracket.

5. A bracketing device adapted to be attached to the upper portion of a window sill for support of a Window box comprising (a) a catch having a base portion with an upwardly and rearwardly curving semi-cylindrical portion integral therewith, defining an opening with an abutment surface,

(b) means for securing said catch to the upper surface of the window sill,

(c) a support bracket having an upright portion and a horizontal portion with a latching hook integral with said upright portion and extending about the top of the catch and into said opening of the catch and engaging said catch against the abutment surface whereby said hook may be disengaged from said catch, and

(d) a mounting base secured to the horizontal portion of said support member and adapted to contact the exterior surface of the building to provide a supporting surface of substantial area for the bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,266,210 5/1918 Campbell 248209 1,955,476 4/1934 Torgerson 248208 2,707,141 4/ 1955 Witter 108-26 FOREIGN PATENTS 56,023 10/ 1936 Czechoslovakia. 471,131 8/1937 Great Britain. 615,098 12/ 1948 Great Britain.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

K. J. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BRACKET ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY FASTENED TO A WINDOW SILL FOR SUPPORT OF A WINDOW BOX COMPRISING (A) A SUPPORT MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT PORTION AND A HORIZONTAL PORTION, (B) MEANS FOR REMOVABLY FASTENING THE UPRIGHT PORTION OF THE SUPPORT MEMBER TO THE WINDOW SILL, (C) A MOUNTING BASE HAVING AN ABUTMENT FACE, AT LEAST ONE LOCATING PIN PROTRUDING FROM SAID ABUTMENT FACE AND ADAPTED TO PROVIDE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BUILDING EXTERIOR, AND 